Iron and B12 seem to be the most talked about nutrients when dietitians, GPs and other non-veg~n people discuss veg~n diets, and with Iron Awareness Week set for the 14-21 October this year, maybe it’s time to remind ourselves of the importance of iron to our health, and to make sure we include iron-rich foods in our diet.
Iron is essential for life: we need it to make red blood cells, i.e. to make haemoglobin which is the protein that carries oxygen around the body; we need it to help provide energy in our tissues – it is essential for handling energy and for physical and mental activity; and we need it to also provide iron stores that can be used when needed by our bodies. As we all lose small amounts of iron each day, we need to replace this with iron from foods and our iron needs vary depending on a variety of factors, including age and gender.
How Much Iron Do We Need?
The benefits of iron often go unnoticed until a person is not getting enough – iron deficiency anaemia can cause fatigue, heart palpitations, pale skin, and breathlessness. Iron deficiency can also weaken immune system activity.
Pregnancy causes an increase in the body’s demand for iron because blood volume and red blood cell production increase dramatically to supply the growing foetus with oxygen and nutrients. While the body usually maximizes iron absorption during pregnancy, insufficient iron intake or other factors affecting the way iron is absorbed, can lead to iron deficiency. Monthly menstrual cycles can also put women and teenage girls at an increased risk of iron deficiency. Of course, too much iron (from taking supplements for instance) can also cause problems, so it’s good to find the right balance by eating the right food.
Also, because iron carries oxygen to the muscles and brain, it is crucial for both mental and physical performance, and therefore young female athletes, for instance, will need to ensure good intake of iron-rich foods, even more perhaps, than young people who are not so active.
While iron supplements can be helpful if needed (although they can also cause an upset stomach in some cases), it is better to try to eat enough in the diet alone by eating iron-rich foods and removing or reducing factors that may hinder iron absorption, because iron-rich foods also contain a range of other beneficial nutrients that work together to support overall health.
Keep in mind that there are a number of factors which reduce the absorption of iron from plant foods, including:
• The tannins in coffee and tea (wait until 1-2 hours after eating to drink these)
• The phosphates in carbonated drinks (such as soda)
• Phytates which are present in cereals (grains, bread and bakery products) and some legumes (beans, peas and lentils)
• Gastrointestinal health
• Use of medications or supplements
• A person’s overall iron status
As most people are aware, there are two types of dietary iron – haeme and non-haeme. Animal sources of food (meat and seafood) contain haeme iron while the non-haeme iron is found in plants, beans, nuts and legumes etc.
The iron from plants is not quite so easily absorbed by the body but good plant-based sources include beans, nuts, soy, vegetables and fortified grains. Eating vitamin-C-rich foods with plant-based sources of iron can dramatically increase iron absorption and can even partly overcome the effects of phytates.
Vegetarian Living NZ Editor Ina Babic and her husband, Vedran, donating blood for World Iron Awareness Week to highlight the importance of including iron-rich foods in your diet.
Top Iron-Rich Plant Foods
Lentils - Lentils are a highly underrated legume. They are a staple in countries like Morocco and Turkey and have a truly outstanding iron content: about 6.6 mg per cup (cooked). Along with iron, lentils are also packed with B vitamins, fibre, magnesium, zinc, and powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols.
Chickpeas - Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are a great source of iron with about 4.7 mg in a one cup serving (cooked). They also contain an excellent amount of fibre and other essential nutrients like magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and folate. And of course they are a great source of protein.
Soybeans - Various forms of soy all make the list of best iron rich plant foods. Raw edamame (green soybeans) comes in at just over 9 mg of iron per a one cup serving, while 100mg of tofu contains around 4-5 mg of iron. Note: Always try to buy organic soy product whenever possible.
Spinach & Other Leafy Greens - Spinach is another excellent source of iron with one cup of the cooked green coming in at 6.4 mg of iron. Other leafy greens aren’t far behind. Swiss chard (one cup cooked) has nearly 4 mg of iron, while beet greens and collards both have over 2 mg. Kale is slightly lower with about 1 mg per a one cup serving (cooked).
Beans - Beans double as both one of the best plant-based sources of protein and a great plant-based source of iron. Depending on the specific variety of bean, you can get anywhere from 4-6.6 mg of iron per a one cup serving. White beans are one of the best options as are kidney beans, lima beans, and navy beans. Note: If you have trouble digesting beans, soak them 4-12 hours before cooking them.
Pumpkin Seeds (& Other Seeds) - Seeds tend to be high in various minerals, including iron. Pumpkin seeds in particular, are rich in iron. Other good seeds to boost your iron intake include sesame, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. All have great amounts of fibre as well and pack in lots of nutritious fatty acids.
Cashews (& Other Nuts) Like seeds, most nuts have a good mineral content and some are especially high in iron, although almonds, pine nuts, and macadamia nuts aren’t. Nuts are also a great source of healthy fat and protein.
Potatoes (Skin On!) - Potatoes can be an incredibly nutritious food— as long as you don’t load them with a bunch of unhealthy additives. Most of this iron is found in the potato skin, so be sure to leave it on! You’ll get more fibre that way, too.
Mushrooms - Mushrooms tend to fly under the radar, but they have an excellent nutrient content. Certain varieties are particularly high in iron, including white mushrooms (2.7 mg per cup- cooked), chanterelle (1.9 mg per cup- raw), and oyster mushrooms (1.1 mg per cup- raw). You’ll also get a good amount of antioxidants from most mushrooms.
Olives - Olives, which are technically a fruit, make it onto the list of top iron-based plant foods because just five large olives provide you with about 1.3 mg of iron. As a bonus, olives are also full of fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins A and E.
Whole Grains - Most whole grains have a decent iron content, but some stand out above the rest. Two ancient grains, amaranth and spelt, lead the way with 5.2 mg and 3.2 mg, respectively (one cup serving- cooked). Not to be outdone, one cup of cooked quinoa comes in at 2.8 mg of iron and one cup of cooked oats at 2.1 mg of iron.
And remember that the quality of the food eaten also affects the quality of its nutrients, so the fresher the food, the less processed, and the more naturally it is grown, the better. Remember also, that lists of foods containing non-haeme iron are guidelines only and do vary slightly depending on the source of the information.
Variety is the spice of life, as the saying goes, so apply that to your foods, eat a rainbow but also mix and match your foods and do try and include vitamin-C-rich foods with each meal, for instance: broccoli, oranges, kiwifruit, tomatoes, to help with the absorption of iron.
By Margaret Johns
Margaret Johns is a long standing member of the NZ Vegetarian Society and was the previous editor of Vegetarian Living NZ.
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Sources of information:
- NZ Nutrition Foundation
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com (Everything you need to know about iron)
- Brian Vaszily (brian@theartofantiaging.com)
